Writer's Digest Handbook of Making Money Freelance Writing

by Writer's Digest Books

Forty-seven articles from Writer's Digest discuss how to conduct the business of freelancing, freelance opportunities, and the freelancer's lifestyle. Contributors shed light on business and financial... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0898797772
• ISBN13: 9780898797770
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Writer's Digest Books
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.2" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Making Money Freelance Writing

The Writer's Digest Handbook of Making Money Freelance Writing, from the editors of Writer's Digest magazine, offers insight for writers seeking to turn to a freelance writing career. For those starting out in the business, or those looking for inspiration from other freelance writers, this book offers information from various authors on how to keep the money flowing in; how to call an editor; guide to copyright, work for hire situations; the art of negotiation; how to make time for writing; beating taxes; work expenses and so on. There are three sections in the book covering the above aspects and many more: Section 1- Conducting the Freelance Business, lists twenty-two articles on how to bring in the money, tips for the beginning freelancer, setting your rates, billing your clients, tax tips, making a full-time impression even though you are a part-time writer, and many more. When I started my freelance career, the most important article to me in this section was, "Four Tips for Beginning Freelancers", by Liza Galin Asher. In her article, Liza reveals some good tips for new freelancers to keep them on the right path. The first tip, Writing is a business, she talks about how freelancers are actually like salespeople only their ideas are their "products". This really is key to remember because if a freelancer doesn't work selling their written work, their talent and creativity will not be printed and thus, will go unnoticed. The more experience the freelancer gets in selling their work as well as writing it, they will become more proficient and will not have to focus so much on selling their work. Think small and Local. Here Liza urges the freelancer to remember their goal is to get published and to jump to writing articles for big time magazines like Vanity Fair, or Vogue. Freelancers should start out writing for newspapers, trade newspapers and magazines in their neighborhood. It is good to start small and work your way up. Liza says the best way to get the most out of what you write is to keep re-selling the articles you have already written. Once you sell and article, go back to it and re-write it with a new angle and submit it elsewhere. An article is never retired so long as you can keep putting a new spin on it each time your write, or add important information that has recently become available. Also keep in mind to resubmit rejected articles to other publications. Just because one place didn't find a need for your work, doesn't mean someone else will reject you. Lastly, Liza reminds novice freelancers that just because you sold your first piece, doesn't mean it is time to quite your job. The freelance writing life is uncertain and there are many lulls from when you make your first sale until the next time you make a sale. She does mention that if your salary from freelancing makes at least fifty percent of your regular job's salary, then you would probably be safe in quitting your real job. Section 2 - Freelance Opportunities, li

Outdated but still applicable.

The most striking thing about WRITER'S DIGEST HANDBOOK OF MAKING MONEY FREELANCE WRITING, is that more than ten years after publication, it is comically out dated. More on that later. The introduction tells us this is a collection of the best questions asked by readers and answers provided by Writer's Digest members on how to make money in the writing game. As one would expect, the articles are impeccably well written. The book is exceptional in its progression and layout, divided into three sections; Conducting the Freelance Business, Freelance Opportunities, and The Freelancer's Lifestyle. No, that last section has nothing to do with golfing, cocktail parties or cruising the Caribbean. It is a compilation of articles regarding setting up your office space, when to quit your day job, finding time to write and other such topics. The book is now more than ten years old and, let's face it, technology has come a long way in a decade. The reader will chuckle when reading that making phone calls while holding down a job should be avoided. Instead one should use a nearby payphone during their lunch break. Good luck finding a pay phone these days. Many of these articles are similarly out dated, but still contain relevant value when placed into context. There are a few articles here that have withstood the test of time and still give this book marketability today. I found particularly interesting and informative, an article by John Wilson on reslanting your work for multiple sales; a short piece by Linda Brodsky titled Writing the Copy; and the crème de la crème, Big Bucks in Business Writing by Robert Bly. This is one of three articles by Bly. Though not exactly hot off the press, a handful of articles found here make this book relevant and applicable even today. This will not make your top ten list, but you will learn from it if you want to invest a little time here.

This is THE book for freelance writers

Writers Digest is the place to go if you are a writer- and this book is the book to read if you want to make a living as a writer. Great tips and information. Buy this book today! ...

Excellent Reference for the Starting Freelancer!

Do you want to freelance? I mean, really freelance? And be the master of your own literary destiny? Then buy this book! Writer's Digest produces fine books for the writing professional but the one that really lays the foundation for the starting freelancer is this tome. The book is really a collection of articles written by professional writers in a veriety of genres. Each article is loaded with tips, tricks, and helpful, timely information that every beginning freelancer needs to know. From how to get published, to the basics of running your own freelance business, this book covers it all. (Did I mention that it covers it all! )In a word - BUY IT!